Breakers start with a loss
It may be a new season but old habits die hard for the Breakers.
The Kiwi franchise’s struggles against Cairns Taipans continued as they opened their 2017-18 Australian National Basketball season with a 82-71 defeat at Spark Arena in Auckland yesterday.
After dropping all four regular season games to Cairns last season, which ultimately cost them a place in the playoffs, the Breakers were relishing the chance to get one back over their bogey team. But despite the quick turn around from Friday’s thrilling win over Illawarra, the Taipans had the fresher legs in the second half, surging home on the back of a big third quarter to cap off an impressive weekend.
Tom Abercrombie led the way for the Breakers. The star swingman had 24 points and seven rebounds, while new imports Edgar Sosa (18 points) and DJ Newbill (12 points) showed promise in their club debuts.
But it was a scrappy start from Paul Henare’s team, who had 12 turnovers to eight from the visitors.
The Taipans were missing import forward Michael Carrera and centre Nathan Jawai to injury, but they were led brilliantly by Dayshon Smith with 18 points, Stephen Weigh added 17.
After giving little away during the week, Henare handed Sosa and Newbil starts alongside the familiar faces of Abercrombie, Mika Vukona and Alex Pledger.
The early-season rust was clearly evident as they conceded several turnovers in the first quarter. But that did not stop the home team from taking a three-point lead, courtesy of Abercrombie’s special fourpoint play three seconds before the buzzer.
That was his second three of the opening period, to go with one chase-down block, and he had 16 points for the half as the Breakers surged ahead.
With Sosa (15 for the half) also beginning to find his feet, they led by 10 just three minutes before the break.
Cairns, though, are renowned for their grinding style of play and they refused to go away.
Weigh and Smith chipped away at the lead and with Breakers big men Pledger and Rob Loe running into foul trouble they managed to reduce the deficit to four points at halftime.
On the back of some aggressive play from Smith, the visitors outscored the Breakers 25-12 in the period.
Back-to-back threes from Kirk Penney and and Sosa offered brief respite for the Breakers, but Cairns still went into the final quarter leading 64-55.
The Breakers tried to push the pace in search of a comeback but Cairns always had an answer.
They looked to be cruising when the hero from Friday night, Alex Laughton, drained a three to stretch their lead to 13.
Abercrombie and Newbill battled hard to get the hosts back in it. But it was never enough as Cairns held on to comfortably see out the result.